At long last, graduation weekend was upon us. The Wilderness Travel Course (WTC) that I took last winter took over Indian Cove Group Campgrounds in Joshua Tree National Park for the weekend. At first, I was a bit skeptical of the weekend, thinking I might just sit and watch football on my buddie Dave's satellite TV. But at the last second, something a bit more interesting was set up, and my friend Leti and I got to join in the fun:
Yup, that's right, that's me in a harness, looking NOT HAPPY. It was a route on Sunday called Tumbleweed (5.6) in the Hodgepodge Rocks around Site 5, Indian Cove Group Camp. I actually did fall on this one, about 5 feet below the top of the route, and while the peanut gallery below was encouraging me to get back on and finish, I was DONE and wanted to be lowered RIGHT NOW THANK YOU. :shock: I think it took about 10 minutes for my entire body to stop shaking, but then I started smiling again and I knew I'd be back for more.
We climbed three other routes on Saturday afternoon, Water Moccasin (5.4), Serpent's Scales (5.6), and Cottonmouth (5.6) over in the Indian Palisades region. My first route was, I think Serpent's Scales, which took me forever, but Paul (on belay) wasn't going to let me come down until I figured it out. I spent the afternoon sounding like a wounded animal, whimpering, breathing, and mini-screams of terror when my foot (aren't you supposed to trust your feet???) would slip.
It was a great weekend, and many, many thanks to Ray, Paul, and Leti for 'showing me the ropes' and putting up with my terror. I knew this was a 'next step' situation, and I'm glad I have it under my belt! Now if I can just find the skin that used to cover my left elbow...
Pics are at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/moosepics6 ... 610981458/
Moving sale this weekend!! Woohoo!
-L 8)
Moose On Crack! WTC Graduation at Joshua Tree
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Moose On Crack! WTC Graduation at Joshua Tree
"Why do I climb? Quite simply because the mountains and I had to meet." - Colette Richard
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- Rosabella
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Thanks, guys. Oh yeah, there was a lot of mini-freak outs going on while up, especially on Sunday. They even got video proof (over which I put a soundtrack so I don't sound quite SO ridiculous!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pq0L9SqPoUo
And Rosie, you are SO welcome to crash anytime!!
-L
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pq0L9SqPoUo
And Rosie, you are SO welcome to crash anytime!!
-L
"Why do I climb? Quite simply because the mountains and I had to meet." - Colette Richard
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moosepics621
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moosepics621
- Snow Nymph
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Congratulations on climbing CL 5 stuff! Looks like fun! Long reaches . . . yeah, YOU can do it, I'd be flopping! Been a long time, I should try it again!
Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free . . . . Jim Morrison
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